-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The wife of Singapore 's first prime minister died at her home Saturday at the age of 89 .

A private funeral for Kwa Geok Choo will take place next Wednesday , the prime minister 's office said in a statement .

She was married to Lee Kuan Yew , who is widely credited with molding Singapore into one of the world 's most prosperous countries .

Lee , 87 , was the founding father of the island nation . His son , Lee Hsien Loong , is now Singapore 's prime minister -- the country 's third since it gained independence from Malaysia in 1965 .

The elder Lee was admitted to the Singapore General Hospital earlier this week for a chest infection

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Kwa Geok Choo died at home at the age of 89

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Her husband was Singapore 's first prime minister